Fresh & Aged Cow's Milk Cheeses

For years I have scoffed at baked soft cheese, thinking, “Why waste a perfectly nice cheese?” I admit today, I am a convert. I mean… Who doesn’t like warm, melted cheese?

And, oh yes, it’s hard not to eat the whole thing by yourself, so share it with someone to protect yourself from overindulging.

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cut top rind off 1 wheel Lakin’s Gorges Prix de Diane. Place in an oven proof baking dish, not much larger than the wheel.

You can leave it unadorned, or top with such things as: caramelized onions; chutney; fig preserves; sliced apples and walnuts;…. You get the idea
3. Cover and Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until cheese is melted. The longer it bakes, the oozier the cheese. (I baked the one in the photo for 30 minutes. No harm done!)
4. Serve with dippable bread, fruit, or vegetables.

A note about pan frying fish. Use a pan that will accommodate the length of the fillet. You want the fish to be in contact with the hot oil. The fish will absorb some oil, so add oil to coat the pan bottom, then a little more. Quantity will depend on your pan. Let the oil get hot before you put the fish in, or fish will stick. Heat the oil over medium high heat for a few minutes before adding the fish.

Also, when you are cooking that fish, resist the temptation to poke the fish with a spatula while it is cooking. If the oil was hot enough, it will start to curl up on the ends and the uncooked top side will start to look opaque. Then you can flip it over and cook the other side.If you flip it too soon, the fish will fall apart. Which isn’t a problem, it will still cook fine and be delicious, but sometimes it’s nice to have a nice, smooth fillet.

1. Coat bottom of skillet with oil, don’t skimp, but don’t go overboard. Heat on medium high heat.
2. Combine the corn meal, salt and pepper and Morgan cheese on a flat dish.
3. Dunk the fish in the milk, then dredge in the cheese mixture. Transfer to hot pan.
4. Cooks in roughly 3 – 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness of your fillet. Judge by the fish turning nicely browned and opaque.

Pictured served with a coleslaw with cabbage, sweet peppers, carrots, red onions, tossed with tahini , rice wine vinegar and black sesame seeds. And a side of chopped tomatoes.

Great for wrapping around a dish you’ve added cheese to, or just around a slice of Lakin’s Gorges Cheese… Pick your favorite.

1/2 bag spinach
Wash then put in pot and cook until wilted. Put in strainer to drain.

Batter:
1 cup flour
Pinch salt
1 egg
1-1/4 cup milk
vegetable oil

1. Combine flour and salt. Make a well in the center and break in egg.
2. Add half the milk and work into flour with a whisk. Add the remaining milk slowly, wishing until batter is the consistency of cream.
3. Cover bowl and let stand 30 minutes.
4. Prepare whatever filling you desire…. such as chicken in a walnut sauce with ricotta; leftover hake with a Cheese sauce made with Opus 42…
5. The pancakes are time consuming to cook. I use a cast iron griddle, brought to medium high heat. Stir the spinach into the batter. Evenly coat the pan with oil, pour on 1/4 of batter and use the edge of your pancake spatula to spread the batter in a thin layer across the pan. The first two never turn out well. Feed them to your dog. Cook about one minute on each side. I use the pancake spatula turned over to flip the pancakes. Oil the pan between each new cake. Stack them in a clean tea towel or in a low oven to stay warm until you are done.

Very tasty and good for breakfast, too, wrapped around some Medallion, Prix de Diane, Opus 42, Cascadilla Bleu, Morgan, Grandiflora, Luna…

This is simple and delicious, and the cheese baked inside the pastry enhances the apples.

Dough
6 Tbl butter
1.5 cups flour (I used spelt)
4 Tbl water (or more if it’s dry. You want to bind the dough together, but not have it be wet)
2 Tbl sugar

1. Cut butter into flour until grains the size peas. Add sugar and water and mix until smooth dough forms.
2. Roll out to 12″

I used foraged apples that were sightly tart. Whatever apple you choose, pick a drier one, or the moisture will make the pastry mushy.

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Slice 2 cups apples thinly.
3. Finely grate Lakin’s Gorges Opus 42 to yield 1/4 cup.
4. Place dough on pan. Sprinkle the Opus 42 in the center of the dough, leaving about 2 inches dough around the border.
5. Layer the apples in as artistic a method you choose, covering the cheese.
6. Fold the dough edge up over the apples, leaving the center open.
7. Bake about 35 minutes, until the apples are softened and the dough is lightly browned.

1. Prepare the sprouts by cutting in half, removing the core, then either slice with a knife or a mandoline.
2. Coarsely chop the walnuts and toast until golden and aromatic.
3. Combine the sprouts and walnuts in a bowl. Toss with the oil and vinegar.
4. Grate or shave the Morgan over the salad once it is on the plate.

What a great invention, coarse ground corn meal is. Whether as grits or polenta it makes me happy.

This recipe for polenta uses Lakin’s Cascadilla Bleu and Ricotta. The blue makes it zingy and the ricotta makes it silky. It’s tasty fresh from the pot, grilled on a hot griddle with bacon fat, or cold straight from fridge. Or as an accompaniment for Salisbury steak with mushroom sauce.

1. Bring water to a rolling boil.
2. While stirring, pour in the polenta and keep stirring until it gets hot and bubbly. Then reduce to barest simmer, and continue to stir occasionally, until polenta pulls away from sides of pan, about 10 minutes.
3. Turn heat off. Stir in crumbled cheeses and salt and pepper. Let rest 5 minutes. Stir again and serve.

1 onion, diced
4 cups broth, vegetable or chicken
1 Prix de Diane, overly ripe with the paste scooped out from the rind
2 Tbl olive oil
1 tsp garam masala. I was feeling the need for warmth and this did the trick.

Optional garnish: parsnip crisps.

1. Sauté the celeriac and onion in the olive oil until just browned.
2. Add the broth and simmer until the celeriac is soft.
3. Stir in the Prix de Diane and garam masala. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Place in blender and blend into smooth.
5. To make optional parsnip crisp garnish, use your peeler to to make several long strips. Cook them fast in warm oil just until brown. Decorate your soup and serve.

This is an easy pot pie which can be filled with leftover meat and vegetables. The secret is the pie crust. Substitute Cascadilla Bleu for some of the butter to add a “je ne sais quoi.” (To make crust without cheese, use 6 Tbls butter)

1. Cut together butter, cheese and flour until it forms a uniform mixture resembling cornmeal.
2. Add the water, incorporating with your fingers until the dough holds together. You may need all, or more, of the water depending on absorption.
3. Having prepared your filling, and placed in a 9″ pie pan or casserole dish, roll out the crust and cover filling, sealing the edges against the side of the pan. Poke in several steam vent holes.
4. Bake at 375 deg F, until lightly browned and flaky.